Godwin Aquilina is so determined to keep his ram Jackie Chan that the pair are sleeping rough in Melbourne.
They left their home in Maddingley when Moorabool council gave Mr Aquilina a deadline of midnight on May 22 to find a new home for Jackie Chan, or the ram would be seized. The deadline was later extended to last Friday.
Mr Aquilina is no longer permitted to keep the ram at his Love Close property after nearly a decade of complaints from neighbours about the animal charging at residents.
He’s been living with Jackie Chan for the past fortnight under a Flinders Street railway bridge, embarking on daily strolls through the city.
“It’s freezing out here,” he told Star Weekly last Friday. Nobody is listening to me, so I’m not going home.”
Mr Aquilina says his attempts to register Jackie Chan as an assistance animal have come to a “standstill”.
RSPCA Victoria chief executive officer Liz Walker said they were concerned about the welfare of the sheep.
“We would be happy to work with the City of Melbourne and the owner to ensure that the sheep can be housed in a more appropriate environment, at least temporarily,” she said.
But Mr Aquilina insists that he wants to stay with the ram.
“I hope I can go home soon but as long as they threaten to take Jackie Chan, I’m going to stay here,” he said.
